New Findings Broaden Our Understanding of Artery Function as We Age

Our arteries function less effectively as we grow older, and this poses a threat to our health. In a recently published study, researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia identified one of the causes of this age-related decline in artery function. So how does this finding help scientists prevent artery aging?

What Researchers Found
Using arteries from old and young mice, scientists compared the sensory nerves of the arteries—nerves that sense various chemical changes, some of which are important in regulating blood flow. In response to chemicals released from nerves that should cause arteries to dilate (widen), the arteries of the young mice dilated as expected. However the arteries of the older mice did not dilate as much due to a 30% decrease in the amount of sensory nerves in the older arteries.

Why Arterial Health Matters
The ability of arteries to dilate and provide blood where it is needed is an important function of our circulatory system. This essential function helps regulate blood flow in our bodies, allowing the appropriate amounts of blood to reach certain areas of our body at the right time (e.g., to your muscles when you need to move, or your brain to think). A reduction in appropriate blood flow can adversely affect these other body functions. It also causes an increase in blood pressure and has been shown to cause reduced mobility of the legs and other limbs, but also more serious events such as, stroke and heart attacks.

What We Can Do to Improve Arterial Health as We Age
There is a wealth of knowledge on what can improve arterial health. Large reviews of scientific studies have shown exercise and various diets arteries as we age. All of the evidence suggests that, on a day-to-day basis, you should do some moderate exercise (~150 minutes per week), keep daily salt intake below 2,300 mg (just one teaspoon) and closer to 1,500 mg if you’re over 50 years old, and watch your weight.

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The Healthy Aging Project is a program of the Integrative Physiology of Aging Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder.

About the Healthy Aging Project

The Healthy Aging Project is a program of the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder. For more than 30 years, the lab has conducted research related to healthy aging, with a particular emphasis on generating scientific evidence for healthy lifestyle behaviors and natural products that can optimize overall health, and physical and cognitive function throughout the lifespan.